RAMP 6/1 @ 8AM

AGENDA  -  June 1, 2016

The Fabulich Center

3600 Port of Tacoma Road; 98424

  

8:00     Welcome & Self-Introductions                                  

  

8:05     2016 RAMP Feedback Survey                             

            https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2016RAMP

      

8:10     I-5 Construction Project Updates: Pierce County HOV Lanes & I-5/SR-16 Interchange

            Jon Deffenbacher, WSDOT

  

8:40     Freight Mobility & FAST Act Funding Advisory Committee

            Sean Ardussi, Puget Sound Regional Council

  

8:50     Round Robin

  

9:00     Closing Remarks & Adjourn

  

Next RAMP Meeting

9/7/16 @ 8AM

(No July/August Meeting)

RAMP is a regional coalition including business, labor, public and private organizations and citizens dedicated to improved mobility in the South Sound and Washington State.  Our mission is to ensure a healthy regional economy associated with the development of an effective, efficient transportation system and the resources to sustain it. RAMP is co-chaired by Pierce County Executive Pat McCarthy, Port of Tacoma Commissioner Don Meyer and Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber President & CEO Tom Pierson.  

I-5 South 38th Street Exit to Open Early

Good news for Tacoma area motorists—the new I-5 South 38th Street exit is set to open early. Currently, the 38th Street exit, which provides access to the Tacoma Mall and is a part of the I-5/SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project, is closed to traffic. The new ramp, which was originally scheduled to open the end of next month, will now open early due to, “Good weather, detailed planning and rapid progress” (Baker, 2013, para. 2).

In a press release last week, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said the exit could reopen as early as Tuesday, but noted that “a dry night for roadway striping is necessary to tie the new ramp into the highway” (para. 5). The recent rain in the area may briefly postpone the early reopening.

For more updates and information on this project, visit WSDOT’s website.

References

Baker, C. B. (2013). New I-5 exit to South 38th St. opens five weeks early. Olympia, WA: WSDOT.

RAMP Legislative Report

With the state legislature wrapping up another special session with the approval of the operating budget, RAMP prepared a legislative report highlighting transportation items of interest in the South Puget Sound.

RAMP's report (courtesy Pierce County) can be found here.

The report highlights a number of planning projects, appropriations, and selected projects.  Included in this summary are over $4M in FY2013 funding for the continuation of various state projects like the I-5/SR-18/SR-161 connections, SR-167 right-of-way acquisition, JBLM interchange reports, SR-509 environmental evaluation, and the SR-3/SR-304 interchange.  In addition, there is a selected list of transportation bills from the 2012 session.

For the complete picture of transportation funding, we encourage you to review the full report.

SR-16 Closures Announced

LOCATION: Two ramps to close at I-5/SR 16 interchange four nights next week.

DETAILS: Each night from Monday, April 16 through Thursday, April 20, crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will close two ramps at the Interstate 5/State Route 16 interchange.  During the closures, crews will do work preparatory to implementing an extended three-month closure of the northbound I-5 exit to the Tacoma City Center (Exit #133).

Specifically, crews will close the following two ramps:

Northbound I-5 to the Tacoma City Center (Exit #133).  Closure hours will be 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.   Motorists will be detoured via Exit #132.

Eastbound SR 16 to northbound I-5.  Closure hours will be 11:30 p.m. to 4 a.m.  Motorists will be detoured via the South 56^th Street interchange.

MORE INFORMATION: For more information on the SR 16 Eastbound Nalley Valley project, please visit www.tacomatraffic.com.

Construction Impacts Just Ahead

During the period of April 16th to April 23rd there will be construction and possible lane closures on freight routes including I-5; I-405; I-90; SR-16; SR-99; SR-167; SR-518; SR-519; SR-522; and others. Please check the following sites for the construction schedule updates and planned closure information:

King County
Snohomish County
Whatcom/Skagit/Island Counties
Pierce County

For construction in the Tacoma Area, go here.

For additional information on roads in other counties, please visit here. 
Construction for Thurston, and Kitsap Counties.

Pierce County HOV lane construction planned through 2022

A series of HOV lane projects are planned for Pierce County through 2022. WSDOT’s Tacoma/Pierce County HOV Program builds 70 high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane miles in seven separate construction projects that will help move traffic into and through Pierce County.

Currently, two projects are under construction
- Westbound Nalley Valley on SR 16
- Extension of HOV lanes on I-5 from the King/Pierce County line to Port of Tacoma Road

Future projects include:
- Eastbound Nalley Valley on SR 16
- Northbound I-5 Port of Tacoma Road to Portland Ave.
- Southbound I-5 Port of Tacoma Road to Portland Ave.
- I-5 Portland Ave. to M Street
- I-5/ SR 16 HOV Connectors

More information on each project is available in a recent presentation to RAMP and on the WSDOT website.